Witnesses for Christ

«And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.»

Ere the Saviour was parted from his disciples, and a cloud received him out of their sight, his parting words to them were, «Ye shall be witnesses unto me.» In his absence they were to be his witnesses and representatives on the earth. How faithfully they fulfilled their high commission is shown by their life of self-denial for their Master’s cause,and by their joyful, triumphant witness for him and his truth in the face of torture, imprisonment, and death.

The words of our divine Lord have lost none of their force through the lapse of ages. There is a call for faithful witnesses in these days of hypocrisy and hollow formalism. But how few, even among the professed embassadors for Christ, are ready to give a faithful personal testimony for their Master. They can tell what the great and good of generations past have done, and dared, and suffered, and enjoyed. They become eloquent in setting forth the power of the gospel which has enabled others to rejoice in trying conflicts, and to stand firm against fierce temptations. But while so earnest in bringing forward other Christians as witnesses for Jesus, they seem to have no fresh, timely experience of their own to relate.

We would ask these ministers of Christ, What have you to say for yourselves. What soul-conflicts have you passed through that have given you a rich experience, and have been for the good of souls and for the glory of God? Does your character testify for Christ? Can you speak from experience of the refining, ennobling, sanctifying influence of the truth as it is in Jesus? What have you seen, and what have you known, of the power of Christ?

This is the kind of witnesses for which the Lord calls, and for which churches are suffering. The Spirit of Christ—true faith, that works by love and purifies the heart—is a priceless jewel, rare indeed in this degenerate age. «If ye love me,» says the Saviour, «keep my commandments.» How many are there who manifest their love by willing obedience, making the service of Christ their first consideration, and worldly things secondary?

How often, even in the sacred desk, self is exalted, and the glory of God forgotten. And yet if the minister has not felt in his own heart the sanctifying influence of truth, if true piety and the power of the Holy Spirit are wanting, his labor will be an injury to the people to whom he ministers. Such men do not preach Christ from an experimental knowledge of him, but, parrot-like, repeat what they have learned from others. To this class the Lord addresses the question, «What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?»

Let us lift up Jesus—lift him up before the people; let us dwell upon his matchless love. But the heart must be imbued with that love before we can speak it, preach it, pray it, live it. We must have personal communion with Christ, in order to reveal him to the people. The graces of his Spirit, the loveliness of his character, must shine forth in the character of his witnesses.

How many cling with great tenacity to their self-styled dignity, which is only self-esteem. In conversation, more time is spent in talking of self than in exalting the riches of the grace of Christ. These persons seek to honor themselves instead of waiting in humbleness of heart for Christ to honor them. They would teach others how to perfect a Christian character; but they have not such a character themselves. They have not learned of Him who says, «I am meek and lowly of heart.»

Humility is inseparable from holiness of heart. The nearer the soul comes to God, the more completely is it humbled and subdued. When Job heard the voice of the Lord out of the whirlwind, he exclaimed, «I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.» It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, and heard the cherubim crying, «Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,» that he cried out, «Woe is me, for I am undone!» Daniel, when visited by the holy messenger, says, «My comeliness was turned in me to corruption.» Paul, after he had been caught up into the third Heaven, and heard things that it was not lawful for a man to utter, spoke of himself as «less than the least of all saints.» It was the beloved John, that leaned on Jesus’s breast, and beheld his glory, who fell before the angels as one dead. The more closely and continuously we behold our Saviour the less we shall see to approve in ourselves.

In this age of the world, there is a feverish love of pleasure, a fearful increase of licentiousness, a contempt for all authority. Not only worldlings, but professed Christians also, are governed by inclination rather than duty. And yet the signs of the times are pointing us to the near approach of our Lord. The words of Christ are sounding down through the ages, «Watch and pray.» Paul warns: «Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.»

Is it indeed true that the end of this world’s history is near, and that Christ is at the door? Are we preparing for the great Judgment scene? Where are our responsible men at this crisis? Are they living like men who wait for their Lord? Are there not men in the ministry who are indifferent and careless? And yet how necessary it is that there should be vigilance on the part of those who are set as watchmen on the walls of Zion. How many there are whose senses are so confused and benumbed by the spirit of the times that eternal things are not realized. If there was ever a time when men of God should stand aloof from the corruptions of the world, it is now. The Lord is at hand. Let the trumpet have a certain sound, and let the people be warned.

«Ye are my witnesses,» saith the Lord. A living Christian will have a living testimony to bear. If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something to relate of the way he has led us. We can tell of battles fought and victories gained. We can tell how we have tested the promises of God, and found them true. We can point to a living experience without going back years into the past.

Would that we could oftener hear the simple, earnest testimony of heart conflicts and victories: «I have been fighting the battles of the Lord, and have made conquests over self. I was sorely assaulted by the great adversary. The conflict was grievous; but I humbled my heart before God, and wept in penitence before him. My trembling faith grasped the promises, and appropriated them to myself. Jesus revealed himself to me as a present help; and through him I have gained the victory.» What a softening, subduing influence such testimonies would have on the heart of the unconverted or the backslider. They would realize that God was speaking through clay, and religion would seem a reality.

In this time of general intemperance and worldliness, every true Christian, who would practice the principles of truth as well as assent to them, will have a battle to fight. The Captain of our salvation calls for witnesses fresh from the field of action. Those who have been fiercely assaulted by the enemy of righteousness, and have conducted themselves as did Jesus in his hour of trial, will have a testimony to bear which will thrill the heart. They will indeed by witnesses for Jesus.

Living witnesses for Christ will manifest piety at home. Those who fail to do this are denying their faith. Piety in the home life will give power to the public testimony. Patience, forbearance, and love will make an impression upon hearts that sermons have failed to reach.

Christ is not pleased with the fruit that many bear; there is a sad lack of tenderness and sympathy. The servants of Christ do not love as brethren. They are harsh and dictatorial. Especially is their conduct toward the erring destitute of pity or compassion. In dealing with them, the caution of the apostle is forgotten, «Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.» We shall surely be judged by our heavenly Father in the same manner that we have judged others. «With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.» «He shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no mercy.»

Jesus has given us an example of pity and love for the erring. While he reproved sin, he regarded the sinner with compassion. Looking to the cross of Calvary, where Christ poured out his life to atone for our sins, let us recall his words, «Love one another, as I have loved you.»

But while the servant of Christ should seek with all patience and love to save sinners, he should on no account permit compassion for the erring to degenerate into apology for transgression; for by excusing and palliating sin, we lose a sense of its heinous character. In order to preserve the safe mean, the Christian must add to patience godliness. Then he will see as God sees. —